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Assessment of the temporal variability and health risk of atmospheric particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a northeastern city in China

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Abstract

In this study, we examined the sources and temporal variability of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in a typical industrial city in northern China. We also evaluated the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) from the inhalation of these PAHs. Atmospheric PM2.5 samples were collected for 7 consecutive days each month from 2014 to 2019, and the 16 PAHs were measured using multiplex gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The carcinogenic risk of PAH exposure was assessed using the inhalation unit risk (IUR) and cancer slope factor (CSF) methods. The annual average concentrations of PM2.5 for each year from 2014 to 2019 were 102.87±55.25, 86.92±60.43, 69.17±37.74, 58.20±59.15, 56.01±34.52, and 52.54±58.15 µg m−3, and the annual average ΣPAH concentrations were 56.03±81.09, 47.99±79.30, 40.41±57.31, 33.57±51.79, 43.23±74.80, and 25.20±50.91 ng m−3, respectively. Source identification, using diagnostic ratio analysis, indicated that the major PAH sources were coal/biomass combustion, fuel combustion, and traffic emissions. A health risk assessment showed that the ILCR from PAH inhalation decreased throughout the study period and varied with age. The IUR and CSF methods both showed that the adult ILCR exceeded 1.0×10−6. These findings demonstrate the importance of addressing the carcinogenic risk of PM2.5-bound PAHs, particularly in adults.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge funding support from the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China.

Funding

This work was supported by a special environmental protection public welfare scientific research project of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China (201409004).

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  1. Qizheng Jiang and Xianhui Zhang contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hebei University of Science & Technology, No. 26 Yuxiangjie, Yuhua District, Shijiazhuang, 050018, China

    Qizheng Jiang & Jieying Xiao

  2. China CDC Key Laboratory of Environment and Human Health, National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100021, China

    Qizheng Jiang & Jianlong Fang

  3. Jinan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan, 250021, China

    Xianhui Zhang

  4. Harbin Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin, 150056, China

    Tong Liu, Jie Shi & Xiaolin Gu

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  1. Qizheng Jiang
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  4. Jie Shi
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  5. Xiaolin Gu
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Contributions

All authors designed the study and wrote the protocol. Conceptualization, methodology, data curation, and visualization: Qizheng Jiang and Xianhui Zhang; experiments, Jie Shi, Tong Liu, and Xiaolin Gu; writing-review and editing, Jianlong Fang; and supervision, Jieying Xiao.

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Jiang, Q., Zhang, X., Liu, T. et al. Assessment of the temporal variability and health risk of atmospheric particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a northeastern city in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 64536–64546 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-20378-9

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